Day 293: Mark 4-6

(The previous post covered the first three chapters which documented the beginning of Jesus' Ministry, His immediate increase in fame because of the healings, and the immediate attacks from the Pharisees.)

Mark 4
¹ And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.
² And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching,

(Jesus began to teach in parables. Prior to this point in Jesus' Ministry, He taught truth directly through principles. We have seen from Matthew's Gospel Account that this caused the Pharisees to become worse. This chapter synced up with Matthew 13. Mark covered in three chapters what Matthew took twelve chapters to cover.)

(Verses 3-9: the Parable of the Sower.)

³ Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow:

(Notice, the sower placed seed in all types of ground...)

⁴ and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it.
⁵ And other fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth:
⁶ and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
⁷ And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
⁸ And others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.

(A "hundredfold" return in this parable represented the maximum profitability: a perfect return.)

⁹ And he said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
¹⁰ And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parables.
¹¹ And he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:
¹² that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.

(Jesus explained why He taught in parables. The key thing to remember is that it is our fault if we do not understand. Notice, Jesus said we can know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. People who say we cannot know these mysteries prove they are without (outside) the Ministry of Christ.)

¹³ And he saith unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how shall ye know all the parables?

(Jesus asked the Disciples how they would know all the parables if they did not understand the Parable of the Sower.)

¹⁴ The sower soweth the word.

(Jesus interpreted the Parable of the Sower (through verse 20). The seed was the Word of God.)

¹⁵ And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them.
¹⁶ And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;
¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.

(Persecution will come because of God's Word.)

¹⁸ And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word,
¹⁹ and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
²⁰ And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.

(Jesus was the sower of the Word of God. Those who received the Word of God with a good emotion, not looking to the physical (verse 19), and with understanding, would yield a profitable return. A profitable spiritual return was possible to those who handled the emotional, physical, and mental aspects properly.)

²¹ And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put on the stand?
²² For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.
²³ If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.
²⁴ And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more shall be given unto you.

(The more thought we put towards the truth from Christ, the more understanding we receive.)

²⁵ For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.
²⁶ And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth;
²⁷ and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how.
²⁸ The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
²⁹ But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.

(Verses 30-32: the Parable of the Mustard Seed.)

³⁰ And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth?
³¹ It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth,
³² yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof.

(Even a little faith can make big things happen. Notice, these parables focused on the good and referenced the Kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven is now and includes good and bad. The Kingdom of God/Jesus is yet to come in eternity and will only include good.)

³³ And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it;
³⁴ and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.
³⁵ And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side.
³⁶ And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him.
³⁷ And there ariseth a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling.
³⁸ And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?

(Jesus was asleep on the boat during a storm.)

³⁹ And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

(Jesus rebuked the sea and it came to a great calm. Jesus spoke a will for an object that was the subject of the statement.)

⁴⁰ And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?

(Jesus asked the Disciples why they were afraid and why they had no faith.)

⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

(Jesus had complete control over the weather because the weather does not have a will.)




Mark 5
¹ And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.
² And when he was come out of the boat, straightway there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
³ who had his dwelling in the tombs: and no man could any more bind him, no, not with a chain;

(A man with an unclean spirit who could not be bound met Jesus. Notice, Jesus wasn't in Judaea. This was essentially a missionary trip to another country.)

⁴ because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: and no man had strength to tame him.
⁵ And always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones.
⁶ And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him;
⁷ and crying out with a loud voice, he saith, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not.

(The unclean spirits knew who Jesus was.)

⁸ For he said unto him, Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the man.

(Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man by making a statement where the object was the subject of the statement.)

⁹ And he asked him, What is thy name? And he saith unto him, My name is Legion; for we are many.

(Jesus asked what his name was. He answered "Legion; for we are many.")

¹⁰ And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
¹¹ Now there was there on the mountain side a great herd of swine feeding.
¹² And they besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

(All the unclean spirits told Jesus they wanted to be sent into the great herd of swine. The unclean spirits could not do something against their nature. They had to ask Jesus to tell them to do something against their nature. Jesus had complete authority over unclean spirits because they lost their free will once they were judged.)

¹³ And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, in number about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea.

(Jesus "gave them leave." Jesus granted their request. There were about 2000 swine.)

¹⁴ And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they came to see what it was that had come to pass.
¹⁵ And they come to Jesus, and behold him that was possessed with demons sitting, clothed and in his right mind, even him that had the legion: and they were afraid.
¹⁶ And they that saw it declared unto them how it befell him that was possessed with demons, and concerning the swine.
¹⁷ And they began to beseech him to depart from their borders.

(The people of that region prayed that Jesus would depart. Jesus hadn't even been in this country for an entire day.)

¹⁸ And as he was entering into the boat, he that had been possessed with demons besought him that he might be with him.

(The man who was possessed with Legion asked Jesus if he could stay with Him.)

¹⁹ And he suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and how he had mercy on thee.
²⁰ And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men marvelled.

(Jesus sent him to his friends to tell them all the great things the Lord has done for him. This man became the first "Christian" author: he wrote about what Jesus did for him. Notice, Jesus prevented this foreigner from following Him, but instead commissioned him as an evangelist/missionary to his country. This ended up being "perfect" for this man, where physically following Jesus would not have been perfect for him. Jesus left making this a missionary day trip.)

²¹ And when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat unto the other side, a great multitude was gathered unto him; and he was by the sea.
²² And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and seeing him, he falleth at his feet,
²³ and beseecheth him much, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be made whole, and live.

(When Jesus returned to His country, Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, fell at Jesus' feet and asked Him to heal his daughter.)

²⁴ And he went with him; and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him.

(The multitude "thronged" (pressed on all sides) Jesus.)

²⁵ And a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years,

(On the way to Jarius' home, Jesus had an interaction with a woman.)

²⁶ and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
²⁷ having heard the things concerning Jesus, came in the crowd behind, and touched his garment.
²⁸ For she said, If I touch but his garments, I shall be made whole.

(A sick woman heard of Jesus so she touched His garment because she believed if she touched His robe she would be made whole. This was a confession that Jesus was the Messiah.)

²⁹ And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her plague.

(She was immediately healed. Jesus was not intentionally trying to heal her. It appeared that Jesus was always open to healing anyone who had faith and drew on Him.)

³⁰ And straightway Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power proceeding from him had gone forth, turned him about in the crowd, and said, Who touched my garments?

(Jesus felt God being drawn through Him to heal someone.)

³¹ And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
³² And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
³³ But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
³⁴ And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

(Jesus told her that her faith made her whole. He also made a statement with the object of the healing being the subject of the statement.)

³⁵ While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the synagogue's house saying, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Teacher any further?

(Someone came to say that Jarius' daughter was dead.)

³⁶ But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not, only believe.

(Jesus told him to not fear, "only believe." Again, Jesus made a statement where the receiver of the benefit was the subject of the statement.)

³⁷ And he suffered no man to follow with him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

(Jesus only allowed Peter, James, and John to come with Him. Those that were most in agreement with Him.)

³⁸ And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing greatly.
³⁹ And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and weep? the child is not dead, but sleepeth.

(Jesus told them she was only sleeping. He may have done this to protect the ruler of the synagogue from persecution once He healed the daughter. The crowd could say that she hadn't been brought back to life.)

⁴⁰ And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth, taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with him, and goeth in where the child was.

(The people laughed Jesus to scorn. They did not have faith. Jesus got away from them before He did the healing.)

⁴¹ And taking the child by the hand, he saith unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise.
⁴² And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked; for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a great amazement.

(Jesus told her to rise and she immediately did. Again, Jesus made a statement where the object of the healing was the subject of the statement.)

⁴³ And he charged them much that no man should know this: and he commanded that something should be given her to eat.




Mark 6
¹ And he went out from thence; and he cometh into his own country; and his disciples follow him.

(Jesus went to His own hometown (Nazareth) and His Disciples followed Him.)

² And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this man these things? and, What is the wisdom that is given unto this man, and what mean such mighty works wrought by his hands?

(On the Sabbath, Jesus taught in the synagogue. He may have gotten an endorsement from the ruler of the synagogue after healing his daughter. Those who heard Him were astonished. Jesus was a Semikah Rabbi. He had authority to widen Doctrine, to bring new Doctrine to the people.)

³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him.

(The people there knew Jesus as Mary's son. Not only was this a statement of unbelief, it was a mocking statement. They were saying Jesus was Mary's son, and they did not know who the father was.)

⁴ And Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

(A prophet is without honor in his own hometown, among family, and in his own house because people are familiar with him. They value the physical over the spiritual.)

⁵ And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
⁶ And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages teaching.

(Jesus did few mighty works there because of their unbelief. The people in Nazareth focused on the physical: Jesus as Mary's son, not on Him being the Son of God. Jesus' response to their unbelief was to teach. Wrong Doctrine can prevent the power of God and the way to fix this is to teach God's Doctrine.)

⁷ And he calleth unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits;

(Jesus gave authority (the Holy Spirit) to His Disciples. Notice, Jesus' other response after being prevented from healing was to send more people with His authority.)

⁸ and he charged them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse;
⁹ but to go shod with sandals: and, said he, put not on two coats.
¹⁰ And he said unto them, Wheresoever ye enter into a house, there abide till ye depart thence.
¹¹ And whatsoever place shall not receive you, and they hear you not, as ye go forth thence, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony unto them.
¹² And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
¹³ And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

(The Disciples were prevented from looking to the physical by limiting their physical resources. The Disciples went out preaching repentance, casting out demons, and healing the sick.)

¹⁴ And king Herod heard thereof; for his name had become known: and he said, John the Baptizer is risen from the dead, and therefore do these powers work in him.

(Herod thought Jesus was John the Baptist returned from the dead. The story of John the Baptist was told in flashback through verse 29.)

¹⁵ But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, even as one of the prophets.
¹⁶ But Herod, when he heard thereof, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen.
¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.
¹⁸ For John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
¹⁹ And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him; and she could not;
²⁰ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was much perplexed; and he heard him gladly.

(John the Baptist was imprisoned because of his beliefs. Herod's wife wanted John the Baptist martyred but Herod feared John because he knew John was a righteous and holy man.)

²¹ And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, and the high captains, and the chief men of Galilee;
²² and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and them that sat at meat with him; and the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
²³ And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
²⁴ And she went out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer.
²⁵ And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
²⁶ And the king was exceeding sorry; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat, he would not reject her.
²⁷ And straightway the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring his head: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

(Herod was sorrowful for the oath he made but kept his oath anyway and had John the Baptist beheaded, which made him a martyr.)

²⁸ and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.
²⁹ And when his disciples heard thereof, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
³⁰ And the apostles gather themselves together unto Jesus; and they told him all things, whatsoever they had done, and whatsoever they had taught.

(The Disciples gathered together and told Jesus all the things they accomplished and taught.)

³¹ And he saith unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

(Jesus told them to rest a while. Rest comes after work or else it is sloth.)

³² And they went away in the boat to a desert place apart.
³³ And the people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them.
³⁴ And he came forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

(Jesus had compassion on the multitude because they were as sheep without a shepherd. Jesus began teaching them.)

³⁵ And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, The place is desert, and the day is now far spent;
³⁶ send them away, that they may go into the country and villages round about, and buy themselves somewhat to eat.

(Verses 37-44: the miraculous feeding of the 5000.)

³⁷ But he answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred shillings' worth of bread, and give them to eat?
³⁸ And he saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
³⁹ And he commanded them that all should sit down by companies upon the green grass.
⁴⁰ And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
⁴¹ And he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake the loaves; and he gave to the disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
⁴² And they all ate, and were filled.
⁴³ And they took up broken pieces, twelve basketfuls, and also of the fishes.
⁴⁴ And they that ate the loaves were five thousand men.

(Jesus made sure the people were orderly before doing this miracle that was accomplished through giving.)

⁴⁵ And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he himself sendeth the multitude away.
⁴⁶ And after he had taken leave of them, he departed into the mountain to pray.
⁴⁷ And when even was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
⁴⁸ And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them:

(Jesus walked on water during the fourth watch: between 3 AM and 6 AM. This watch that occurred immediately before dawn was traditionally the time that God and His angles moved the most.)

⁴⁹ but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out;
⁵⁰ for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he straightway spake with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
⁵¹ And he went up unto them into the boat; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves;
⁵² for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

(The Disciples were amazed beyond measure and wondered. They had not remembered the miracle of the loaves because their hearts were hardened.)

⁵³ And when they had crossed over, they came to the land unto Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.
⁵⁴ And when they were come out of the boat, straightway the people knew him,
⁵⁵ and ran round about that whole region, and began to carry about on their beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
⁵⁶ And wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

(Jesus' fame continued to grow as people made a confession of Jesus as the Messiah by touching the border of His garment.)

(This post covered Jesus' rise in fame.)

Day 294